Bottle capper



A. J. DAVIS BOTTLE CAPPER Dec. 8, 1931.

Filed May 24, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. s, 1931. A. J, DAWS 1,835,207

BOTTLE CAPPER Filed May 24, 1929 s sheets-sheet 3 )MMM Patented Dec. 8, 1931 UNITED vermee PATENTQFFICE,"

ALFRED J. @Avis or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, AssrGNoa or ONE-FOURTH To.

.ANTON MAANM, 0F. 1v1:INNE-APOL157` MINNESOTA, AND'` ONE-FOURTH TQ` T.

MAANUM, 0F: BRABANT, MINNESOTA BOTTLE Alipneation filed May 24,

This 'invention relates particularly to combined bottle fillers and cappers and the inventionl isA directed chiefly to ,the improvement of the bottle-capping mechanism, but

` includes also a novel form of bottle-filling nozzle. Devicesof this character are generally used in filling milk bottles but are also used for other similar, purposes. For `the purpose ofv thiscase, the device will be de- ,v scribed in its use for filling and capping milk bottles. `Milk bottles, including, of course, cream-containing bottles, are almost universally capped with paper discs. `4 A commercial form of the improved device is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like vcharacters indicate like parts vthroughout the several views.

Referring'jto the drawings: A Fig.- 1 is 'a view chiefly in tion illustrating the invention but with some part-sin vertical section;V Y

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view on a larger scale than in Fig. lshowing certainV of the parts in full side elevation'as in Fig.V 1, but with some parts inver-tical section and some parts broken away; y -Fig. 3 Vis a fragmentary vertical section V taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; l

VFig. 4is a fragmentary detail in left side elevation 'showing the Acounter-.weighted arm for operating thecap-ejecting mechanism; Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; Y

y Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5 y

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section vtaken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 2; y'

Figs. 8 and 9 are'fragmentary vertical sections taken on the line 8-,9 of Fig. 5, but illustrating dierent positions of Vthe parts;

i Vand Fig. 10 is a section'taken on the line`10-1f`0 of Fig-2. y

The variouspartsof the device' are, as shown, 'supported `from a common hollowV cast base 110that rigidly supports -t'wo' upleft side elevai CAPPER 1929. Serial No. 365,671.

right` columns 11 and 12p-both ofwhich are preferably in the form of tubular pipes'seated at their lower ends in said-base( "To the.

upper end of column 1 1 a milk-containing tank 18 is rigidly secured. This tank 13 at its bottomand at a point near its marginal portion-is provided with a depending valve'- seating sleeve 14 that is secured thereto with a liquid-tight joint, being, `as shown, provided with -a flaring upper end forming a valve seat 15and below the bottom of the tankwith a clamping nutV 16. Working vertically through the sleeve 14 is a tubular bottle-filling valve 17 the upper end of which is formed with a valve head 18 that'is normally seated with a liquid-tight joint against the Haring valve seat 15 by a coiled spring 17a.

`Filling valve 17 is provided with an axial passage V19 that is closed at the top of the valve, but is providedwith lateral ports`20 below the valve head 18. Eccentric vto the axial passage 19 valve 17 is provided with one or more smalllongitudinal air ducts 21 tube 22 is provided at its top with a cap 23V that has a small air vent.

The lower end of the' valve 17 is adapted be 'inserted into the nec-k of a milk bottley and it is provided with the customary conical seating'ring 24 preferably of rubber that will form a flat tight joint with the neck ofthe bottle under quite'light pressure. The seating ring 24, as shown,is made adjustable by a follower nut 25 threaded the valve 17'. v

The milk bottles y Vare adapted to be supportedl in circumferential spaced :arrangement on a disc-like table 26,v the central hub. 27 ofwhich is rotatably mounted on the tubular column 2,12 andrests on a collar 28 which, Y

by adiametrical pin 29,`is carried byfa'plungthat open through the sides of the valve just v on the exterior of er-acting shaft that works axially through the tubular column 12. Normally, the pin 29 works through vertical slots 31 in opposite sides of the column 12 and the table-supporting ring 28 normally rests on a stop collar 82 which, by set screws 33, or otherwise is rigidly but adjustably secured to the column 12.

The bottles jl/ are properly spaced on the table 26 by a spacing disc or plate 34 secured to the top of the hub 27 of table 26 and provided with bottle-receiving openings or large notches 85 of which there may be any number, but as shown are six in number.

The numeral 8G indicates segmental keeper straps shown as secured to the column 11 and overlying the spacing disc. 34 surrounding the line of travel of the bottles and spaced at their outer ends to alford the desired entrance and removal passage. For imparting the proper step by step movements to the table 26 so as to position the bottles y successively under the filling valve 17 and under the capping device present-ly to be described, any suitable means may be provided, but as shown, I provided av lever 87 pivoted on the column 12, working through a notch 38 in the hub 28 and provided with a springpressed ratchet dog 39 that is engageable with ratchet notches 40 spaced in the bottom of the hub 27 to correspond to the spacing of the bottles. Also the notch 38 is ofV such circumferential extent that a maximum oscillation of the lever 37 permitted thereby will move the table 26 a step of movement representing the angular space between bottles.

Capping mechanism The capping mechanism proper is mounted on the upper end of the column 12 normally above vthe posit-ion occupied by the upper end of the bottles contained on the table 26. This capping mechanism comprises a tubular magazine 41 that is open at its upper end to receive a stack of disc-like paper bottle-closingcaps 42. At its lower end, the magazine 41 is rigidly seated in a tubular socket 41a formed integral with the upper section 43 of a tubular capping head, the lower section 44 ofv which is formed integral with a guide bracket 45. Guide bracket 45 is rigidly supported by a heavy arm 46 which, at one ene, surrounds and is rigidly but adjustably clamped to the column 12. As shown, the connection between the arm 46 and column 12 is made adjustable by splitting the end of said arm and providing the same with a clamping bolt 47.

A very shallow passageway 48, which is just deep enough to permit one cap 42 at a s time to be removed from the bottom of the stack into the tubular capping head 43-44, leads from the bottom of the magazine 4l into the tubular capping head 43--44; and for forcing the cap from the bottom of the stack from the magazine into said capping head, a thin ejecting blade 49 which is preferably slightly thinner than the cap, is mounted for sliding movements in said shallow passageway 48 and in a deeper extension 48u of the latter, see particularly Figs.5 and 8. The blade 49, at its outer end, is formed integral with or otherwise secured to a crosshead 49a. The crosshead 49n works in the slot 48n and is guided for straight-line movement by the guide bracket 45 in which said slot 48n is formed.

Means for automatically imparting capejecting movements to the blade 49 and crosshead 49fL is provided and, as shown, this means comprises a bell-crank 50 pivoted to a small upright standard 51 that rises from the socket 41a. The lower end of the depending arm of the bell-crank 50 is connected by a link 52- to a lug on the top of the crosshead 49a. The approximately horizontal arm of the bell-crank 50 is provided with an adjustable weight 53 which, as will hereinafter be noted, is of suiiicient weight to cause blade 49 to move a cap 42 from the bottom of the stack into the tubular capping head 44.

The lower section 44 of the capping head is provided with a cylindrical bottle-aligning passage 54 that has a flaring bottom 55 and leads to an annular ring-supporting ledge 5G above which ledge the capping head has a bore of increased diameter to receive a pair of superimposed cap-aligning rings 57 and 58. When the rings are in normal position, the lower ring rests on the ledge 56 and the rings are then in positionto receive a cap delivered between the same from the guide channel 48 under the action of ejecting plung` er 49. The opening in the lower ring 57 is downwardly tapered and is of such diameter that it will receive and align a cap 42 and will hold the cap in position until force is applied thereto. For forcing the positioned cap from the lower ring and into the bottle neck, there is provided a relatively fixed pressing plunger' 59 which, as shown, is secured to the lower end of a threaded stem GO that extends through the top of a cap-like cover plate 6l and is provided at its upper end with an adjusting nut 60a, see particularly Figs. 8 and 9. A heavy coiled spring 62 is compressed between the top of the cover plate 61 and the top of the plunger 59. 'lf he plunger 59 is of such diameter that it will pass through the openings in the two rings 57 and 58. The rings 57 and 58 are rounded at their outer edges so that` the paper caps will be readily forced between the same and so that said rings will not catch in the cylindrical bore of the capping head.

For raising the plunger-acting shaft 3 and for lifting the table 26 with the bottles contained thereon, any suitable means maybe provided but for that purpose, there is shown a foot-operated lever 63 working through an opening in the hase 10 and pivoted thereto at Sum-mary of Operation Normally, the table V2G will, of course,ibe

in its lowermost position and one bottle will stand under and in axial alignment with rthe tubular filling Valve 17 and the other will stand under and infaXial alignment with .the aligning channel 54v of the capping head. When the operator steps on the treadle end of the lever 63, the table 26v with the bottles` thereon will be,raised and two operations will take place,towit the bottle aligned with thelill-ing valve will befilled vand the bottle alignedwith the capping head will have a capapplied thereto. As to the fillingoperationhwhen the neck-ofthe raised lbottle engagesandforms atight; joint withthe pliable sealing ring 24, valve 17 will be raised and milk will flow 4from thev` tank first through thelalteral ports20 and thengthrough Vthe axial passa-ge 19V and will be delivered downward;

into the bottle-on theline of the axis thereof` while the'air displaced from the bottle will find free escapelthrough the air ducts 21 and pipe22. @A i Y n practice it has been found that this manner of filling` bottles delivers the milkV directly to the bottom-fofthe bottle rather than against the Vsides thereof and climinates the productioi'r of foam in the filling of the bottlesby preventing commingling of the incoming milk with `the outflowing air. Also the manner of delivery causes` the bottles to be rapidly filledV A l a A description ofthe operationof apply-` ing the caps to the bottles may, be begun by first assuming, which fis a fact, that at the time the bottle-supportingr table is raised, there is a cap 42 heldiin the downwardly tapered'opening in the lower aligning ring 57. Hence, when the underlying bottle is raised its neck will first engage the bottom of ringJ 57 and will then liftthe two'rings 57 and 58therewith, causing the cap inring 57 to be ,forced against the fcap-applying plunger 59 and' under Vfinal upward movement of the bottle, said plunger will force the cap 42 through the lower rim and will properly seat the same in the bottle neck. The spring 62 is of sufiicient strength to cause proper seating of the cap in the bottle neck but willyield to prevent breaking of bottle neck under-final or slightly excessive upward movement of the bottle. Approximatelythe right adjustment of head 4Q1 for application to a cap may be made by`adju`stv ments to the nut a on stem 60.

When-the table 26 is dropped or lowered,

the neck of thecapped bottle is .dropped out of the cappinglhead and the aligning rings 57-58 dropped back to their lowermost po-v sitions withthe lower ring 57 on the ledge 56. VIn such normal positions,rthe line between the two rings is horizontally aligned with the shallow cap-delivery channelf48. Under the previously noted initial Yupward movement of the' table 26 and shaft 30, the tappet screw 66 engagedtlie weighted arm of bell-crank 50 and raised said weighted arm, thereby carrying the ejecting blade 49 toaposition .at the left or inward ofthe stack yof caps 42 in the magazine 41; and under downward movement of said table and shaft 30, the weight 5301i arm of the bell-crank 5() becomes eifective to cause'the ejecting blade 49 to move the bottom cap Y from the` stack and `forcetlie same between the aligning rings 57"and 5871until the de- Y.'

livered cap, as already described-drops vslightly into the tapered passage of lower ring 57 where it will be held until lremoved in the capping operation above described.

lAs already statedafter eachilling and capping operation, lever 37 will be manipu-Vv lated to deliver the `next bottles under-the filling and capping devices. In actual practice the eiiiciency v*of the mechanism described has been thoroughly demonstrated.

In the preferredform of the capping deviceA described, the 'capping head lremains stationaryand the bottle-supporting shelf Y and bottles are moved vertically to apply the caps to the bottle necks and for conveniencer in `the claims the mechanism willA betdescribed as4 operating as `above stated, but

Ait will, of course,be understood thatV the same action will be'produced by a reversal of the operation, to wit: by supporting the bottles in stationary positions and moving the capping head and parts carried thereby vdownward `onto the` bottle necks; and in view of the statementyust made, 1t should be understoodthatthe claims are'intended to and, inv fact, do cover" mechanism operating onthe reverse plan above noted. `V`What I claim is: i 1*@ "1. In. capping mechanism, a capping head having a bottle-aligning head with a capfpassageway intermediate of its ends,a cap-aligning ring seated in the aligning passage of said head with freedom for vertical movements on either side of said cap passageway, but normally occupying a position to receive a cap, means for delivering vthe cap to said aligning ring, a cap-applyin phmger mounted Von said capping headt-o be passed through said aligning ring to apply the `cap to the `bottle neck. A

2. in capping mechanism, a capping head having a bottle-aligning head with a cap passa'gewayintermedinte of its ends, a cap-align` ing'ring seated in the aligningV passage of said head with freedom for Vertical: movements on either side of said cap passageway, but normally occupying a position to receive a cap, means for delivering the cap to said aligning ring, a cap-applying plunger mounted on said capping head to be passed through said aligning ring to apply the cap to the bottle neck, said aligning ring having a downwardly tapered passage of a size to receive a cap and to frictionally hold the same until a pressure is applied thereto.

3. In bottle capping mecl'lanism, a, cap ping head having a bottle-neck-aligning passage formed with a ring-supporting ledge, superimposed aligning rings, the lower of which normally rests on said ledge, means for delivering a cap edgewise between said rings while supported by said ledge, a cap-applying plunger supported by said capping head in position to be passed through said rings, and means for moving a bottle upward through the aligning channel of said capping head to engage and raise said rings and cause the positioned cap to be applied in the bottle neck.

l. In bottle capping mechanism, a capping hea-d having a bottleneck-aligning passage ormed with a ring-supporting ledge, superimposed aligning rings, the lower ot which normally rests on said ledge, means for delivering a cap edgewise between said rings while supported by said ledge, a cap-applying plunger supported by said capping head in position to be passed through said rings, and means for moving a bottle upward through the aligning channel of said capping head to engage and raise said rings and cause the positioned cap to be applied in the bottle neck, said lower ring having a passage that is contracted at its lower portion so that the cap deposited therein will be frictionally held until acted upon by iid plunger.

5. In capping mechanism, a capping head having a bottle-aligning head with a cap passageway intermediate of its ends, a capaligmng ring seated in the aligning passage of said head with freedom for vertical movements on either side of said cap passageway, but normally occupying a position to receive a cap, means for delivering the cap to said aligning ring, a cap-applying plunger mounted on said capping head te be passed through said aligning ring to apply the cap to the bottle neck, said plunger being mounted in said head for yielding movements only under excessive axial pressure.

6. In bottle capping mechanism, a capping head having a bottle-neck-aligning passage formed with a ringsupporting ledge, superimposed aligning rings, the lower of which normally rests on said ledge, means for delivering a cap edgewise between said rings while supported by said ledge, a cap-applying plunger supported by said capping head in position to be passed through said rings, and means for moving a bottle upward through the aligning channel of said capping head to engage and raise said rings and Cause the positioned cap to be applied in the bottle neck, said plunger being mounted in said head for yielding movements only under excessive axial pressure.

7. In bottlecapping mechanism, a tubular capping head and a cap magazine associated in adjacent parallel arrangement, a shallow cap-delivery passage leading from the bottom of said magazine laterally into said capping head, a .thin ejecting blade movable in said capsdelivery passage from a position to discharge a cap from the bottom of the magazine into said capping head, a pair of superimposed aligning rings loosely seated in said capping head in position to receive a cap delivered thereto from said delivery passage, and a plunger supported by said capping head in axial alignment with the passages through said aligning rings to be passed therethrough, and means for moving the bottle axially against the lower aligning ring to thereby raise the same and cause said plunger to seat the cap in the bottle neck.

8. In Vbottle-capping mechanism, a tubular capping head and a cap magazine associated in adjacent parallel arrangement, a shallow cap-delivery passage leading from the bottom of said magazine laterally into said capping head, a thin ejecting blade movable in said cap-delivery passage from a position to discharge a cap from the bottom or' the magazine into said capping head, a pair of superimposed aligning rings loosely seated in said capping head in position to receive a cap delivered thereto from said delivery passage, and a plunger supported by said capping head in axial alignment with the passages through said aligning rings to be passed therethrough, and means for moving the bottle axially against the lower aligning ring to thereby raise the same and cause said plunger to seat the cap in the bottle neck, the passage in said lower aligning ring being ot a size to receive and frictionally hold a cap aligned with the bottle neck until pressure is applied to the cap by said plunger.

9. rlhe structure delined in claim 7 in further combination with means for operating said thin ejecting blade, comprising an axially movable shaft and an intermediate lever connected to said blade and subject to said shaft.

l0. The structure deiined in clailn 8 in further combination with means 'for reciproeating said ejecting blade, comprising a vertically movable shaft, a bell-crank lever, one arm of which is subject to the vertical nievements of said shaft and the other arm of which is connected to said blade, and yielding means operating to move said bell crank and blade in one direction.

In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature.

ALFRED VJ. DAVIS. 

